JOULE II Programme External Costs of the Biomass Fuel Cycle (ExternE)

Contacts




To find similar Items, click on a keyword below:
Economics : Electricity : Enviromental Aspects : JOULE II Programme : Solid Biofuels : Thermochemical Conversion

External Costs of the Biomass Fuel Cycle (ExternE) Duration 1994-1995 JOULE PROJECT

The objective of BTU's work within this project was to estimate the externalities of bio-electricity generation from agricultural energy crops in two Greek sites and two reference years by using, testing and further developing the existing methodology.

The two project sites selected and described in detail are Site A: Orchomenos, Viotia, Central Greece; and Site B: Nea Kydonia, Chania, Crete.

A comparative analysis of five most promising energy plants has lead to the selection of fibre sorghum and Cynara cardunculus. The expected penetration, as well as the production, harvesting, and conversion systems of these two energy crops were quantitatively described for the two reference years (1995 and 2015).

The reference conversion technologies selected for both sites are advanced combustion and gasification, for reference years 1995 and 2015, respectively.

The following bioelectricity externalities were systematically assessed:

1. Impacts of primary air pollutants to human health. Meteorological and technological data were used as inputs in an air dispersion model in order to predict the incremental air pollution due to the biomass conversion; based on the existing dose-response functions and by linking the results of the model with the local demographics, the impact on human health was quantified and economically valuated.
2. Impacts from the upstream activities. Two such major activites were examined, i.e.,
   • nitrogen leaching to ground water bodies, and
   • soil erosion;
   the assessment of the above impacts was based on the methodology used by CEEETA, appropriately modified.
3. Impacts on occupational health. Data collected from similar activities in Greece has made possible the estimation of the external cost of accidents, deaths and other injuries.
4. Impacts from truck traffic. Although transportation of biomass has many impacts, the one assessed here, based on the available literature and data, was that of road damage due to biomass transport.

Other impacts were also considered, in an effort to complement qualitatively the existing methodological framework:

• effects on biodiversity, and
• effects from pesticide use.






Contacts

Contact

• Emmanuel G KOUKIOS / National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) Dept of Chemical Engineering / GREECE